Burley II vs Hemsworth II
1st December 2007
1 Kelvin Crooks 2 Karl Haywood 3 Julian Broster
4 Stu Nichols 5 Alex Gerrard
6 Tom Barnes 7 Fraiser Stuart 8 Jim Griffin
9 Jonny Baker
10 Tim Betts
11 Danny Morell 12 Gav Leeman 13 Aaron Ralph 14 Jamie Chique
15 Andy Jones
The Bench
16 Jon Bowskill 17 Ben Mays 18 Duncan Elsey 19 Danny Bates.
Referee : Ged (Hemsworth)
H-T xx-xx F-T 33-21 to Hemsworth.
A bright start to the game was the advent of what was to follow with both sides moving the ball around whilst probing for openings and at the same time producing some magnificent defensive blocks. For Burley, Jules Broster reveling in his new role at prop, putting two memorable big hits (he talked us through them in the club house).
Hemsworth were to go close on a few occasions before conceding the opening score to Burley as they conceded a couple of penalties. Burley's captain Jim Griffin (mention!) taking the option of running rugby,
in view of not faring too well in the line outs, opted for a tap and the ball moved through several pairs of hands before arriving with Stuart Nichols 15yds out. A deft dummy to the right wrong footed the Hemsworth defense as they followed the overlap allowing Stuart to cut inside and score half way between the posts and touch. Tim Betts slotted over a comfortable conversion to give a 7-0 lead. Hemsworth were quick to come back at the Burley defense with a side that contained a mix of veterans and a few young lads recently recruited from Grimethorpe rugby league.
Their main force being a couple of veteran forwards especially Big Mick at No. 8. Continuous probing by Hemsworth led to their first try as they drove a maul over the line only for the referee to miss Mick touching down before Jules Broster picked the ball up. However a scrummage was awarded to Hemsworth 5yds out and the big No.8 picked up at the base and crashed over the line to provide an opportunity for the kicker to equalise and take the score to 7-7. More enterprising open play followed from both teams before Burley elected to run a ball out of their own 22,
Jim Griffin getting isolated and stripped of the ball, we may have been better putting a boot behind the ball at this stage, however the ball was taken up by Hemsworth who used the gaps created by Burley's attempt at running the ball out to their advantage and scored wide out to the right. This time the kick was missed and Hemsworth led 12-7. The game continued in the same vein and Hemsworth soon were on the score sheet again as Burley tried another interesting move out of defense, Tim Betts this time looking to execute a double scissors 20yds from the Burley line,
this was probably not one of his best ideas and the ball ended up in Hemsworth hands for a score just right of the posts and converted for a 19-7 lead. Both teams still playing the open game right up too half-time but failing to produce any further score. In the forwards the scrums were fairly even but the lines were heavily weighed to Hemsworth. H-T Hemsworth 19 Burley 7.
The second half started as brightly as the first, Jim electing to bring on Danny Bates at fullback moving Andy Jones to centre and Gav Leeman replacing Dan Morell who made way on the wing.
The enterprising play continued as both teams forwards presented good possession to the backs. Hemsworth getting the greater reward as the crossed the whitewash for a fourth time, again to the right of the posts. Another conversion took the score to 26-7 to the home team. Jim making another change at the restart. From here things picked up for burley who suddenly got an improved amount of possession and closed in on the home side's line without great success. A forced change was soon made as claret ensued from the nose of Timmy Betts,
well this is grown up's rugby and you do come across the odd sly trick from the seasoned experience. Not many saw the incident but Tim said that the guy had just swung his arm/hand across his face, well his current favourite record is "Bleeding in Love". The game continued with Burley on the up as the final substitution was made with Duncan Elsey, unfamiliar in the No.18 shirt arrived on the pitch to replace Alex Gerrard in the second row. Not long later Gavin Leeman took the last pass after Danny Bates and Andy Jones had combined to break through the Hemsworth defense and score between the posts for Jules Broster taking over kicking duties to bring the score to 26-14 and hope for Burley.
The play amongst the Burley backs was becoming more and more fluent as they looked to close in on another score which soon came.Good possession was afforded as again the same three were involved to send Andy Jones over and with Jules conversion making the score 26-21, a last 5 minutes was very interesting. Burley gaining possession and scurrying around were just not able to get away and turn the game. A final loss of possession gave the game a bit of a lopsided look on the score line as the big Hemsworth No.8 had the last say in crashing over to give a comfortable conversion on the final whistle for a final score of 33-21. An excellent entertaining game had been a credit to both sets of players and the referee who continually allowed plenty of advantage and the rugby to flow. There was no disgrace in this defeat, this was a performance to build on as a more settled team is emergingand players are getting to know how each other play. Gav Leeman just edged the man of the match award, and pipped the home side's scrum half to the quickest pint in the bar afterwards.